Stream on Demand: ‘Angry Birds’ lands on demand

Thu., Aug. 18, 2016

By Sean Axmaker Correspondent

New on DVD

“Gotham: The Complete Second Season”: The TV series set during the years before Batman starts fighting crime is one of the best adaptations of comic book characters to screen. Its dark look and even darker tone make it a compelling weekly adventure.

What makes the show so good is that the villains are even more interesting than the heroes.

Robin Lord Taylor steals every scene as the Penguin. This season gives him a chance to go from a broken man to the heartless killer that he plays so well. Equally as interesting are Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma/The Riddler and Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Even the addition of BD Wong as Hugo Strange added more levels to the insanity.

“Shooting the Prodigal”: A young Jewish filmmaker tries to help a Baptist preacher make a movie based on the story of the Prodigal Son.

“Power Rangers Megaforce: The Complete Season”: The Rangers have only one hope to stop Prince Vekar.

“The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season”: Some characters will bounce back while others won’t after saying farewell to Elena Gilbert.

“Almost Holy”: Pastor fights child homelessness by stealing street children.

“Sundown”: Spring break goes bad for two friends who get involved with gangsters.

“11 Minutes”: A series of events unfolds over an 11-minute span.

“Frontline: Business of Disaster”: Documentary on how rebuilding efforts have left some communities in chaos.

“A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits”: Modern take on the classic tale starring Sofia Carson.

“Shimmer and Shine: Welcome to Zahramay Falls”: Visit the magical home of twin genies-in-training.

“The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension”: This is the first time the ’80s movie has been available on Blu-ray.

“The Affair: Season Two”: Series offers different views on a couple’s relationship.

“Microwave Massacre”: Horror film about a man who disposes of his dead wife’s body using the microwave.

“American Experience: The Boys of ‘36”: Story of the American rowing team (from the University of Washington) that triumphed in Nazi Germany.

“Session 9”: Abandoned mental hospital gets five new visitors.

Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service

What’s new for home viewing on video-on-demand and Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services.

Pay-Per-View / Video-On-Demand

“Love & Friendship,” a witty comedy of manners and manipulation adapted from Jane Austen’s short novel “Lady Susan” by filmmaker Whit Stillman, stars Kate Beckinsale as the calculating Lady Susan Vernon and Chloë Sevigny as her American friend. PG.

“The Angry Birds Movie” gives the characters of the viral video game their own animated movie to show us why they are so angry. PG. Also on DVD and Blu-ray and at Redbox.

Also new: the faith-based sequel “God’s Not Dead 2” with Melissa Joan Hart (PG), and the award-winning indie drama “Krisha” (R).

Available same day as select theaters nationwide is the documentary “Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World,” a look at the people behind the digital revolution from director Werner Herzog. Not rated. Also new: the comedy “Morris from America” with Craig Robinson (R) and the thriller “Imperium” with Daniel Radcliff and Toni Collette (R).

Netflix

The escape drama “The Way Back” (2010) follows Colin Farrell and Ed Harris on a harrowing yet visually stunning odyssey from a Siberian Gulag to India. PG-13.

The Netflix original series “Fearless: Season 1” follows professional bull riders on the U.S. rodeo circuit.

Music documentaries: “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (2016) profiles producer and DJ Steve Aoki (not rated) and “Take Me to the River” (2014) brings classic R&B and blues artists together with contemporary rappers (PG).

Kid stuff: “Bottersnikes & Gumbles: Season 1” is a new animated series based on the series of fantasy novels, and there’s a new season of “Puffin Rock: Season 2.”

Amazon Prime Video

“A Royal Affair” (2012), a Danish historical drama starring Alicia Vikander and Mads Mikkelsen, was an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film in 2013. R, with subtitles.

Also new: John Boorman’s semi-autobiographical “Queen and Country” about life in post-war Britain and “Hideous Kinky” (1998) with Kate Winslet in Morocco. Both rated R.

Hulu

The debut seasons of two new dramas from the WGN network are now available: “Underground,” a thriller about the Underground Railroad in the antebellum South, and “Outsiders,” about clans living off the grid in the hills of Appalachia.

Also new: the Yahoo-produced final season of the “Community,” the U.S. debut of Britain’s “The Wine Show: Season 1,” and the original “MacGyver: Season 1.”

HBO Now

The Oscar-nominated “Brooklyn” (2015), starring Saoirse Ronan as an Irish girl in 1950s America, is a lovely and touching coming-of-age drama. PG-13.

At Redbox

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “The Angry Birds Movie,” “Demolition,” “Louder Than Bombs”

Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. His reviews of streaming movies and TV can be found at http://streamondemandathome.com.